Pesher, I read your posts too. Twelve screws is certainly a lot. Glad you are finally in a shoe!

Hikerdreams, congrats on getting to the end of your first week! I am one day behind you - my surgery was 11 July. Do you have to walk/stand a lot for work? I think that would be tough after only six weeks. Actually walking on my foot was surprisingly easy as the surgical shoe kept the weight on the front part of my foot. But I only had the osteotomy and drilling for OCD. Interesting that your PA told you not to put pillows under your heel. I found it really hard to find a good position to sit because of the pain/pressure in my heel.

Well, I'm a Reading Teacher at a middle school. I work with small groups of students, so I think I will be able to sit much of the time, and prop my foot on a chair. I'm sure the first few weeks will be really hard. I asked to not be on the duty schedule which is all standing and walking until the spring semester. One day at a time! It is very hard to sit unless my foot is elevated-the higher, the better!

Hello all!
Amethy5t - Thanks for checking on me. I'm doing better each day. Pain has eased up a lot but I still have a lot of swelling as soon as I lower my leg. But I'm sure that will get better in the weeks/months ahead.

Hikerdreams - Are you still having pain beneath your breasts on your chest? Hopefully the pain is gone.

It's great having so many HB friends. Thanks to all of you for your help and encouragement as we go through or have gone through our foot surgeries.

Cm The pain in my chest has not bothered me as much today. I am only going to use crutches for the next few days and my scooter. No walker. I think I inflamed my pecs from overuse. I also use those muscles to push up when I am standing up. I've used a little more pain meds too. That is helping. One week since surgery! Yeah! I lovey hb friends too!

Hi... I also had Hospital for special Surgery...dr. Deland, the guru.... Please, please, be sure to have a OS who does this 3 times a week..... Outpatient I would not opt for.... Nor podiatrist. MY POD. recommended my OS.... Maybe you are having different procedures... The hip bone graft was hard, the Achilles cut was added... This is difficult stuff...do your research... Anyway, good luck, keep us in the loop... I am doing well, no screws popping now at 7 months, so I figure they will remain...basically no pain now, no swelling, fitting into a sneaker and sometimes a flat....mobile and happy.... But it was a very long, hard winter.... Keep reading and stay in touch with mates who are on the same page...Cinder, and exdancer, and others kept me going.... Thanks all.

Gee . Nobody mentioned icing behind my knee. I'm going to try that . Amethyst my pain was a burning searing pain on the inside of my foot from the arch towards the ankle. My doctor likes to do the gastrocnemius recession instead of messing with the Achilles' tendon. I think he believes that people heal more quickly with that. I hadn't really thought about emergency evacuation but my hubby is here all the time until about week five when he has to move our daughter two thousand miles away and I will be on my own for eight or nine days. I think I tried to wean off my pain meds too quick. Lots of pain tonight. I'm also having searing pain beneath my breasts on my chest. Anybody else feeling that? The doctor's office told me not to take ibuprofen only Tylenol because it interferes with bone healing. Something else I didn't know. Take care all!

Hikerdreams~ What & where is XML Orthopaedics?
I see that you are a Reading Teacher, that is awesome! I am an EA (Educational Assistant), in a Primary Autism class. My Podiatrist told me that I would be NWB for at least 6 weeks & I would not be complete or 100% for at least 4-6 months or so. I am not sure of I will be working this upcoming academic year as my job requires me t be on my feet for 7 hours a day. I will let you know how the surgery goes as I hav it on the 13th of August.

I celebrated my three week mark since surgery today by going out to lunch with a couple of good friends. I love all the reactions from people who have never seen a knee scooter before. I guess it is a different and unique way to get around. It definitely is the easiest way for me to get around. I discovered the scooter handlebars were too low and once my husband raised it, it felt so much better. The handlebars are supposed to be waist high and mine was only hip high. What a difference moving it up a few inches made!

I go back to the doctor on Wednesday for x-rays and a cast change. I'm definitely ready for a new cast because my pinkie toe is really squished. Will make sure to ask them to give my toes a little more room this time.

I have one more week of working from home then it's back to the workplace. My husband will be taking me to work the first week or two then I plan drive myself some of the time. We are going to start practicing on how I'm going to be getting the scooter in and out of the car. If you have any suggestions please share.

Thanks again to all of you for always being here for me. I appreciate you all! Nite

Hi everybody,
It's ten days out of surgery for me. I think the pain is letting up a little! Hooray! I have cut down on my pain meds almost in half from the time of surgery. I have a logistics question for you all. How do you handle the knee scooter in the bathroom? I've been keeping the crutches in the bathroom and switching to crutches to maneuver to the toilet, but I keep thinking there must be an easier way, and I'm worried about how I will do it once I go back to work! Any ideas?

ckurtz- XML orthopedic was a typo on my phone. I was trying to say that I've been told by several PT's and orthotics folks to only have foot surgery with a foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon.

cm214- When I bought my knee scooter, the guy was showing me that the scooter handle folded back to get it in the car. I haven't tried it yet, but that might help. I'm encouraged that you feel well enough at three weeks to go to lunch. I still don't like having my foot down. I try to elevate it almost all the time or that blood rush to my foot starts to throb. Does that get better? I have similar plans to you. When I go back to work, I'm sure my husband will drive me there the first couple of weeks. Good luck!
Thanks to all for your help and encouragement!

Hikerdreams - So glad to hear your pain level has dropped some. I'm still taking one Percocet at night as that seems to be the most painful time for me. I haven't slept all night through since my surgery but I'm getting closer. Only woke up once last night. Been having leg cramps and restless leg in my good leg and my husband bought me some of those air compression boot thingies like I had in the hospital. I've had leg cramps for years and I wish I had these before now. Didn't have any leg cramps at all last night. Woot!

For the bathroom question, I use my knee scooter and then trade off to a regular walker to get to the commode. When done, I just hop the walker right up to the back of the scooter and when my knee is secure on the scooter I lift the walker to the side so it's ready for the next time I need to use it. Then I'm off and running. Well, not actually running. LOL.

My swelling has really lessened in the last 2-3 days. It doesn't throb anymore and I can leave it down for an hour or two without much swelling. I always know when it's time to elevate and ice it because the ball of my foot pushes my toes up slightly. I actually rode in the front seat of the car yesterday for the first time since surgery. I had been riding in the back seat with my leg propped up on a pillow in the seat beside me. I think my hubby liked me riding up front with him as much as I did.

'Thanks cm214 for your answer. That's what I was doing too until I got this chest pain in my pectoral muscles and switched to crutches to see if I could get that to ease up. It's a little better, but still there. Wow! If you're only taking one Percocet at night, I'm thinking I should try to ease up on those pain meds more. I'm still taking one every four to six hours most days and two when I go to bed. I guess I need to try the Tylenol more. Mostly, I get cramping and sometimes burning in my foot. How about you? Does your arch feel crampy? I had calcaneal osteotomy, FDL transfer, PTT debridement ( I think and gastrocnemius recession in my calf. I too have not slept a whole night through, although last night I only woke up once. I find I'm doing spontaneous kicking of my legs during the night, including the surgical one. I wonder if that's normal? Maybe Pesher or Cinder or one of our wise experienced friends out there know the answer. I am worried about the bathroom at work when I go back because I will only be able to take one piece of equipment with me into the bathroom. Maybe I'll have to take the walker to the bathroom and hop all the way. What fun! Take care! You are doing great!